Anchor cradle and lock



DeC- 2, 1969 E. F. cARRoLL ANCHOR CRADLE AND LOCK Filed July 15. 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 2, 1969 E. F. CARROLL ANCHOR CRADLE AND LOCK Filed July l5, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,481,301 ANCHOR CRADLE AND LOCK Elmer F. Carroll, 205 18th Ave. N., Texas City, Tex. 77590 Filed July 15, 1968, Ser. No. 744,811 Int. Cl. B63b 21 /22 U.S. Cl. 114-210 5 `Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Anchor cradle and lock adapted to be mounted on the bow or another portion of a boat or ship and to receive and lock in place an anchor raised from the water. The cradle moves pivotally downwardly to receive or discharge the anchor. The anchor is held in place by a pivoted latch which engages a ring secured to the anchor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The field of the invention is the iield pertaining to apparatus for storage of anchors aboard boats and ships.

Discussion of the prior art The following patents are representative of the prior art: 2,93l,331-Ubelhoer; 3,074,370-Seiger; 3,147,731- Stuart; 3,279,4l2-Howard.

The prior art shows devices different from the subject invention, in that no device shown in the prior art has a mobile cradle to receive and hold the anchor. The device of the subject invention is compact and simple as compared with the devices of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In summary, the apparatus according to the invention has a stationary base or housing within which a movable vcradle support is adapted to hold the anchor. Both the cradle and anchor are held securely in place in an upward vposition when the anchor is locked therein. The cradle moves pivotally downwardly to receive or discharge the BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a vertical elevation of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section taken along line 2--2 of FIGURE l.

FIGURE 3 is a-top view of the invention without the anchor. j

Referring now to the drawings, a stationary housing or base has as its principal structural parts two opposite sidewalls 11, 12 and a base plate 13 which is curved downwardly at its forward end in conformity with the downwardly extending shaped portion 16 of plates 11, 12. The housing is aixed to the bow 17 of a boat or ship, or to another location upon a boat or ship, by bolts, screws, rivets, or the like, received through suitable perforations through the rearward flat end of plate 13. Two screws 18 are shown in the drawing for indicating the manner of fixing the apparatus in place, but any other suitable means for so doing may be employed.

A pin 20 is disposed through aligned holes through plates 11, 12, there being a sleeve 21 disposed about ICC pin 20, and pin 20 having an end lever or crank 22 by means of which the -pin and sleeve may be rotated. A latching plate 24 is fixed to extend from one side of sleeve 21 and has at its outer end a downward folded section 25 the upper end of which is outturned in the form of a lip 26.

A cross pin 28 rotatively disposed through aligned opposite perforations in side plates 11, 12 has atlixed thereto a trigger plate 29 the forward end beyond pin 28 being somewhat downturned at 30. Pin 30 limits upward movement of downturned plate end 30. Plate 29 has a rectangular notch at its longer end portion the bottom side 33 of which may be positioned by slight angular upturning of plate 29 to be engaged by the notch formed by outturned lip 26. With this engagement, the trigger plate 29 and the latching plate 24 are held in elevated positions 24a and 29a. When portion 30 of plate 29 is contacted by the leading end of an anchor, the plate 29 is tilted upwardly to release lip 26 therefrom and permit latching plate 24 to drop pivotally downwardly so that folded formation 25 thereof enters the anchor ring to lock it in position.

The cradle housing 37 is formed of two outer side plates 38, 39, at the inner sides spaced from the bottom along each of which is aflixed an angle 40, 41, respectively, having a horizontal portion and then an inwardly spaced downturned portion terminating downwardly even with the lower sides of plates 38, 39. Tabs 43, 44, respectively, are fixed in plate at the lower edges of the elements 38, 40 and 39, 41 to extend beyond the ends thereof as shown in the drawing. A plate 45 is aixed between the lower edges of elements 40, 41, intermediate their lengths, and toward the right hand side of the cradle as shown in FIGS. l and 3 there is xed between elements 40, 41 a downwardly converging V-shaped plate 46 the bottom of the V of which is ush with the upper surface of plate 45. Underneath plate 46 there is a flat plate 47 affixed across the bottom sides of spaced members 40, 41 which is downturned at 48 to form a stop. Another plate 49 is also affixed across the bottom of the longitudinal members of the cradle to reinforce the structure.

Angular plates 51, 52 are xed to the upper surfaces of each of the elements 40, 41, and the upper ends of these are aixed to the ends of horizontal plates 54, 55, a vertical plate 56 (at each side) being disposed downwardly from this juncture to the upper side of each of the elements 40, 41. At each side, the horizontal plates 60, 61 are downturned at 62, 63 and the outer ends of these are atiixed to plates 65, 66, plate 66 being upturned and joined to the juncture between plates 60, 62. These elements are present at each side of the apparatus, in line with the described elements to the left thereof in the drawings. A plate 70 which is circularly curved upwardly at its upper end 71 is fixed, as by welding, between the lower downwardly formed end portions of the side plates 38, 39, the cross plate 70 forming a stop for the yblades or ns of an anchor.

A pair of tubular rods 75, 76 each having openings therethrough at each of their ends, their upper ends being -disposed around a cross bolt 77, there being a sleeve 78 around the bolt therebetween to space rod 75, 76 apart, and the lower ends of rods 75, 76 being` engaged with a cross bolt 79 in the same manner, there being a sleeve around the bolt as before to space the lower ends of the rods apart and to keep them aligned. A pair of pins 81, 82 are disposed alignedly at the inner sides of plates 11, 12 in positions to engage the tabs 43, 44 when the cradle is moved pivotally outwardly and downwardly to the dashed line position shown in FIG. l, the arms or rods 75, 76 moving together pivotally downwardly to their lowered positions as indicated by the position of rod at 3 one side. The elements shown in FIG. 1 are presented with the sux a in the dashed line showing of FIG. 1.

Referring now especially to FIG. 2, a pair of plates 84, 85 are affixed around pins 86, 87, respectively, by upward circular bending of their outer edges. A pair of elongate angular elements 89, 90 narrowed toward their upper ends are atlxed to depend laterally from plates 84, 85, the apexes of their angle forms being disposed inwardly. The plate 84- With element 89 may be rotated outwardly to the position 89a, and the element 90 with plate 85 may be similarly rotated about pin 87 to position 90a. An element 95 of downwardly converging V-shaped transverse cross section has at each end of each side thereof an angle sided wing or tab 96, the four tabs, two at each side of the elements 89, 90, resting upon the ends of plates 84, 85 carrying the elements 89, 90, the plates 95 being elevated to position 95a when elements 89, 90 are tilted outwardly to positions 89a, 90a. Conversely, when weight is placed within the V-notch of plate 95, plate 95 through wings 96 exerts downward force on plates 84, 85 to return elements 89, 90 to their upright positions. The elements 89, 90 move in the gaps between elements 54, 60 and 55, 61, respectively. The angular inner sides of the tabs 96 are at opposite sides of the elements 89, 90.

The anchor 100 shown in FIG. 1 is a representative type of anchor, but anchors are made in various forms and constructions and the exact form of anchor shown is not intended to limit the invention. The anchor has a shank portion 101 and an enlarged circular Icrown portion 102, these portions being formed by a curved rod 103. The curved end of the rod 104 forms a loop through which anchor ring 105 is carried. An anchor line 106 is connected in customary fashion to ring 105. The other elements of the anchor are conventional and will not be completely described. At each side of the crown, there are disposed two flukes 107, or blades, these being aligned one with the other at opposite sides of the crown 102. A `1n 108 lconnected to and in line with the ukes or blades is usually of a circular form and serves to make the ukes assume upright positions as the anchor is raised through the water. When the anchor leaves the water and begins riding up onto the cradle apparatus herein described, the ukes drop to downward positions as shown, toward the left as shown in the drawings. When the anchor is raised from the water to be nested into the cradle and locked in place therein, the ring 105 through curved end 104 of the anchor first contacts the upstanding elements 89, 90, spreading them apart and raising the V- shaped plate 95. Because of the balanced weights of the flukes, the anchor automatically turns to a position where one of its rod sides of the shank portion enters the apparatus correctly. The ring 105 is thus moved to be parallel across the cradle body so that it will be forced between elements 89, 90 to spread them apart. When the portion of rod 103 forming the anchor shank engages upon plate 95, ring 105 having passed the elements 89, 90, the weight of the anchor forces plate 95 down and causes elements 89, 90 to resume their upright positions to either side of the anchor shank. Further drawing-in on anchor line 106 raises the shank up into the cradle through the channel formed between the outside longitudinal elements until the flukes engage underneath the cradle at plate 70 to cause upward drawing of the entire cradle, the arms 75, 76 pivoting upwardly. The ring 105 is then in position to pass beneath trigger plate 29 and the forward curved end of the anchor 104 engages downturned part 30 of plate 29 to free latching plate 24 so that it drops downwardly to its lowered position and its terminal formation 25 enters anchor ring 105.

When in this position in the cradle, the cradle being within stationary housing or base 10, the ukes beneath the cradle hold the anchor down, the elements 89, 90 hold the anchor against sideways movements, and the latch 24 holds the anchor and cradle against forward, or outward movements. To release the anchor, it is necessary only to move lever 22 downwardly, which removes formation 25 from the anchor ring and permits movement of the anchor and cradle so that the anchor may be returned into the water.

Downturned end 48 of plate 47, as is shown by dashed lines in FIG. 1, engages the sides of rods 75, 76 when the cradle is in its lowermost position to terminate further downward movement of the cradle. The curved surface 71 provides a smooth surface over which the anchor rides into the cradle, and supports the anchor at the forward end of the cradle.

When the anchor is lowered, the ring 105 again spreads elements 89, to pass therebetween.

When the anchor has left the cradle and dropped into the water, the apparatus is in condition for receiving the anchor when it is again raised. The described downward movement of lever 22 to release the latch end 25 from ring causes engagement of trigger plate 29 whereby lip 26 is reengaged with the bottom edge of recess 33, so that when the anchor is returned, the latch can function again to hold the anchor.

The base or housing 10 and the cradle apparatus may be constructed of any suitable materials, including metal and plastic. Especially where the boat or ship is used in salt water, the apparatus should be of corrosion resistant materials, such as are well known in the art. The various surfaces and elements may be provided and assembled in other manners consistent with good engineering practice considerations.

The apparatus as described is simple and dependable in operation and requires little or no effort on the part of the user. A windlass or winch is nearly always used in conjunction with the apparatus for drawing in and release of line 106 to raise or lower the anchor.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown in the drawings and described, many modifications thereof may be made by a person skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to protect by Letters Patent all forms of the invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for receiving and holding the anchor of a floating vessel, the anchor being of a type having ukes angularly disposed upwardly from each side thereof and having a line connection ring at its upper end, comprising housing means having an upwardly open rest therealong, means for fixing said housing means to a floating vessel with one end of said rest directed oit the vessel, cradle means movable between a position supported upon said rest and a position angularly downward from said one end of said rest, said housing including latch means for engaging the anchor ring at the other end of said rest, said cradle including surface means at its end corresponding to said one end of said rest for engaging the ukes of an anchor when the upper part of the anchor is resting along said cradle, the anchor line running from the anchor along said cradle and along said rest to an end portion drawn in to raise the anchor and payed out to drop the anchor, whereby when the anchor line is drawn in to raise the anchor from the water with said cradle in said angularly downward position the upper end portions of the anchor slide into said cradle until the ukes thereof engage said cradle surface means and said cradle meanwhile being drawn to said supported position along said rest of said housing until said latch means engages the anchor ring whereby said anchor and cradle are held in place until said latch lmeans is released.

2. The combination of claim 1, the anchor ring being wider than the anchor body in the lateral direction of the flukes, said cradle including pivotally outwardly movable upright elements spread apart for passage of the anchor ring therebetween and held upright by the anchor resting in said cradle to restrain horizontal movements of the anchor latched in said cradle.

3. The combination of claim 2, said upright elements depending upwardly from upwardly and outwardly pivotal elements disposed one at each side of said cradle, plate f means disposed across said pivotal elements against the upper surface of which the anchor is disposed, whereby the anchorvring enters between said upright elements to spread them pivotally apart for passage of the ring therepast, and whereby when the anchor is upon said plate means said upright elements are held upright to laterally confine the anchor.

4. The'combination of claim 3, said surface means of said cradle facing angularly downwardly to positions to engage the upper faces of the anchor flukes, initial entry of the anchor at the ring end thereof into the cradle tilting the anchor because of the downward angle of the cradle to cause the anchor ukes to assume positions to engage said surface means.

5. The combination of claim 4, said latch means comprising latch plate means pivotally connected to said housing: at said other end of said housing above the level of a said anchor ring, said latch plate means having downwardly extending means and terminal lip means, trigger plate means pivotally connected to said housing above the level of said anchor ring having edge means engageable under said lip means to hold said latch plate means and said trigger plate means in pivotally elevated positions, said trigger plate means having a downward extension positioned for engagement by the anchor body after the anchor ring has passed therebeneath on full entry of the anchor into the cradle and full move-ment of the cradle to its said supported position to elevate said trigger plate and release vsaid lip from said edge whereby said latching plate drops to engage said downwardly extending means thereof through the anchor ring, said latching plate including lever means movable to elevate said latching plate to remove said downwardly extending means from the anchor ring and re-engage said edge under said lip, and to free the anchor and said cradle for re-entry of the anchor into the water, said upright elements being spread by the anchor ring upon its movement therepast.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/196'0 Sanders 114-210 TRYGVE M. BLIX, Primary Examiner 

